Composite article including phenols and formaldehyde and method of making same



W. D. STEVENSON.

COMPOSITE ARTICLE INCLUDING PHENOLS AND FORMALDEHYDE AND METHOD 0F MAKING SAME.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, I9I9.

Patented 00th 4, 1921.

WARP memos I n/oo/ WA RP T11R54 08 UNITFiD STATES ?ATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. STEVENSON, OF PITTSBURGH,

COMPOSITE ARTICLE INCLUDING Application filed June 18,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM D. STEVEN- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Composite Articles Including Phenols and Formaldehyde and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved -composite article of manufacture, and the method of making the same, and more particularly to a composite non-laminated article and the method of making the same including in its composition infusible and insoluble condensation products of phenols and formaldehyde, or their equivalents.

So far as I am aware, sheet, lar articles of the class to which my invention relates have heretofore included a laminated body or a body made up of a plurality of superposed layers of suitable material, as for example, paper or cloth, bound together by suitable binding agents. Such laminated articles are objectionable due to the splitting,

opening or separation which occurs between the superimposed layers.

Various methods have been followed in the manufacture-of articles or materials of this character, with a view of producing a material or an article possessing the highly essential quality of non splitting or cracking while being operated on or while in use, but the methods heretofore followed have not produced such an article.

Among the objects of the present invention are, to provide a new and improve method for the manufacture of a sheet, plate or tubular article of the character above mentioned, and the production of an article possessing electrical insulating and heat resisting qualities, strength and durability, capable o withstanding the action of solvents, as for example, neutral solvents, water and oils, and of such a character that it may be machined and drilled and employed without splitting or cracking.

In t e accompanying drawings which illustrate diagrammatically a material embod ing my invention,

digure 1 's a plan view of the material, an I Figs. 2 and 3 enlarged sectional views re- Specification of Letters Patent.

plate or tubu- 1 thus producing laminations.

PENNSYLVANIA.

Patented Oct. 4, 192 1.

1919. Serial No. 305,095.

spectively taken on lines AA and 13-13 of Fig. l. I In carrying out or practising my method a woven non-laminated body of the desired dimensions of sheet, plate or tubular form is produced by weaving suitable materials, as for example, cotton thread and woolen yarn, into the desired body, the weavinglthereof extending in three directions instead of-in two as in the usual cloth fabric. In the fabric which I employ, the warp threads extend side by side across the thickness of the sheet as well as across the width, that is, some of the warp threads are in a plane which is transverse to the others. Thus, the thickness is greater than the thickness of, any two strands of fabric.

The material or materials of the character mentioned are, either prior to weaving or productv of phenols and formaldehyde, or

their equivalents, of a character capable, un-

der the action of heat, of being transformed into an insoluble and high heat resisting body. Or the woven body may be first produced and then saturated or impregnated with the liquid.

After the threads, yarn, etc., entering into the composite article hav been saturated, impregnated or treated with the said liquid mixture, either prior to the operation of weaving or during weaving, the woven article may be dried or the excess liquid, if any, eliminated by the application of pressure with. or without heat. Heat and pressure are both preferably applied to the article,

'a compact insoluble heat resisting or infusible body entirely free of In some instances, it may "desirable to subject the article to still further heat, that is to say, subject it to the gradually increasing heat of an oven.

"1 he liquid mixture may be applied by passing the threads through a body of the liquid, or they may be subjected to a stream or spray of the liquid. As stated above, the materials entering into the woven body may be woven into the desired body prior to being subjected to the liquid condensation product of phenols and formaldehyde or their equivalents. If this last mentioned step is followed, the body may be saturated or impregnated with the liquid mixture by cal, tubular, and rod shapes,

simply immersing the woven body in said liquid or immersin and applying pressure to the liquid to aid saturation, or by first subjecting the body to a vacuum, and then immersin with or without pressure-r After t e saturation or impregnation, the composite non-laminated article is dried to some extent, or the excess liquid may be forced out by the application of pressure with or without heat.

In practice, I prefer to pass the article directly from the solution, and before it is dried, through pressure rolls, as this step will aid in eliminating air or gas pockets and any excess solution. 7 After the drying step, heat is applied to the article, referably with pressure, thereby transforming the artlcle into a compact, insoluble and high heat resisting or infusible body.

In some instances it may be desirable tov further treat the article by subjecting it to a gradually increasing heat of an oven or other container. 4

It will be understood that my invention includes non-laminated articles of cylindriandthe method of making the same, as well as articles and the method of making the same of sheet or plate form.

The nonlaminated article or material made in accordance with my invention is particularly adaptable for use in the manufacture of gears and railway track insulation, although it may be utilized for many other pu ses.

The thickness of the woven non-laminated article or material may, of course, be varied, but I am particularl interested in producing a material of t e character described having a thickness equal to a laminated material in which the strands of fabric are of the same size as the strands in the non-laminated fabric, .including several layers of Sn rimposed pieces of cloth, paper, etc.

t I claim is 1. The method of making a non-laminated article of the character described, which consists in subjecting a suitable material to a liquid henolic condensation product to saturate t e material, and in weaving the material to produce an inte 1 body of substantial thickness in whic the weaving extends in three directions. r

2. The method of. making a composite nonlaminated article including condensation, products of phenols and formaldehyde, which consists in weaving strands of suitable material into a body of a thickness to of layers of woven material, with t e layers thereof formed from the same size wea strands as the said non-laminated body, an m-subjecting the weaving material to the condensation products of phenols and formaldehyde.

3. A composite non-laminated article ineluding a woven material of a thickness equal to a laminated article including a plurality of layers of material of the same size strands as the non-laminated article,and a condensation product of phenols andformaldehyde.

a laminated body formed of a lura 'ty said fabric being impregnated with a phenoliccondensation product.

6. A composite non-laminated article composed of an integral fabric bodyhaving interwoven strands in which the thickness of the fabric is ater-than the, thickness of two superpose strands, whereby said fabric has a substantial thickness, said fabric being saturated with a phenolic condensation product.

7. A composite non-laminated article composed of a single integral woven fabric body having some of the-warp threads thereof arranged in a lane transverse to the .remaining warp t ads whereb the fabric has a substantial t ickness said fabric being saturated with a hardened phenolic coiidensation product.

8. A composite non-laminatedarticlecomposed of a single integral woven fabric body aving some of the warp threads thereof arrange the remaining warp threads, whereb the fabric has a substantial thickness, said abric bodg being saturated with a condensation pro uct of phenols and formaldehyde. v

I In testimony whereofI aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. i .WILLIAM D. STEVENSON. Witnesses:

J. M. GnooHnoAN, LoIs Wrmmm.

the body of in a plane transverse to the plane of 

